Men & Fibromyalgia
Little Tree
By: Kurt Fondriest I Wrote this Story Over 30 Years ago for Children with Fibromyalgia. In a forest of magic and wisdom and of rainbows and fairies, lived a little tree who was smaller, by far, than any other. He knew that his branches were supposed to be strong and always reaching upwards because his mother and father would tell him so." Little tree," they would say," stretch [...]
I Am More Than My Diagnosis
By: Dave Shields I am often perplexed by an individual's response to a disorder or disease diagnosis. In the early 90’s I came down with Fibromyalgia. It seemed to take forever but I was finally diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic in MN. Initially, I was overcome by the severity of the symptoms…. The pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and mental fog were overwhelming. I couldn’t work or function. I [...]
Firefighter Turned Fibrofighter
By: Steven Lehman In 2015 my life began to change. As a 41-year-old Fire Lieutenant/ Paramedic, I was always doing something active. One thing I enjoyed the most was the long walks I took with my best friend and wife Kira. It was on one of these walks I started noticing I was sore in both of my hips. I dismissed it at first, figuring it was from [...]
A Possible New Treatment for Fibromyalgia
“Research concerning new treatments for fibromyalgia and chronic pain are ongoing. The problem is that many of the individuals living with these conditions don’t even know that the research is taking place. Caleb Cummings, contacted the NFA and asked if we would share his experience of participating in a clinical trial at Stanford University, where they were looking at a possible new way to help relieve the pain of [...]
Living with Fibromyalgia as a Man
“Research concerning new treatments for fibromyalgia and chronic pain are ongoing. The problem is that many of the individuals living with these conditions don’t even know that the research is taking place. Caleb Cummings, contacted the NFA and asked if we would share his experience of participating in a clinical trial at Stanford University, where they were looking at a possible new way to help relieve the pain [...]
It’s a Guy Thing: Men with Fibromyalgia
By: Lisa Lorden Reprinted from FMOnline The relationship between fibromyalgia (FM) and gender has been a source of confusion and controversy among researchers and patients alike. Although FM is clearly more prevalent among women, the illness does afflict men as well, men with fibromyalgia. Little research has been conducted that measures the prevalence of fibromyalgia, and estimates vary widely as to the proportion of male versus female [...]
The Evolving FM Experience
By: Sidney Mirsky Reprinted from FMOnline Health Log: 60 year old male. Health good; alert; physically in good shape for his age. Nothing organically wrong, all tests negative. Complains a lot! That was eight years ago. There is no point in detailing the aggravation of being told by your family physician that there is nothing wrong with you and if you hurt, take a hot bath, do [...]
Not Lazy – Not Crazy – Fibromyalgia
By: Russell Brooks Reprinted from FMOnline I’m a 44-year-old man, first diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1988. While fibromyalgia presents a litany of problems for all of us affected, as a man, the worst thing about it for me has been the criticisms I’ve received for “spending so much time in bed.” “What’s wrong with him?” has been a chant for years. “Fibromyalgia,” they say, “what’s that?” “Are [...]
Living Life with Hope and Fibro
By: Pastor Mark Shaver I wanted to have this article done a week ago. This is life with fibro: always running late because of a flare up in pain that puts you back a day, a week, even a month. This week I had a wedding to do, which was supposed to be a fun thing, but when you are standing in front of the bride and groom [...]
The Paradox Of Pain: A Male Perspective
By: Gavin Levy Reprinted from FMOnline As young boys growing up, we are taught by society not to cry when we scrape our knee. If we bruised a knee when playing football, we learned how to hold the sensation of pain on the inside. In England you’ll hear the expression, “Grit and bear it,” and this is just what we did. So it can certainly knock a [...]
4 Fibromyalgia, Those Who Can’t Do…
By: Eric Vought Reprinted from FMOnline I am a man — an outdoorsman — with fibromyalgia: I love backpacking, wilderness survival, biking, hunting, archery, farming, medieval re-enactment, forest management, building a home. Fibromyalgia has changed my life and identity; at the same time, it removed many of those things which I formerly used to do to relieve stress and anxiety. Over time I have learned to redefine [...]
Men & Fibromyalgia
By: Bob Hall Reprinted from FMOnline Michael J. Fox became a “one of a kind” type of guy because he stepped forward, and let the world know about his disease. He gained national attention, and received national compassion and sympathy because of his plight with disease. I applaud him for his courage to “take a stand” and bring awareness to a disease, and to get attention for Parkinson’s [...]
